A friend was booked on the LSL in May in Car 4810, a Chicago to NYP sleeper. When he picked up his tickets, he had somehow been shifted to 4812. I hold tickets for 4810 in July and decided to check with the reservations office to see if anything had changed. Indeed we now are in 4811. Apparently they are eliminating the 4810 car when they add the Boston sleeper which will be 4820. This seems odd as the first car they typically fill is the "10" car then "11". Sometimes the computer will assign the "best" rooms regardless of car first (near center of the car). It just seems like lots of work for Amtrak to have to shuffle people around instead of just eliminating 4812. I assume they are doing this to avoid confusion between cars 4810 and 4820 but that is strange...never happened in the old days. My friend moves from room 2 to 3 while we retain the same deluxe bedroom B. Once the new schedule is in effect (1 hour earlier eastbound plus through Boston sleeper effective later this week), can someone on the route verify the placement of the sleepers and line numbers?
Posted by Printman2000 (Member # 4338) on :
I had the same issue. I was the absolute first purchase on 48 in June and am going all the way from Chicago to NYP. When they moved me to the 4811 car, I was confused.
Basically, they took all the current reservations, then started reassigning cars based on destination. The older reservations first. This way, if there are not enough rooms, the NEWEST reservations would get dropped first.
As for placement on the train, I suspect they will put the Boston sleeper up front, right behind the Boston baggage car.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
Thanks, Printman. Did you already have your ticket when you found out about this? Did they say whether you need to have the ticket reissued? Since it will show up correctly on the manifest, I don't want to do an exchange as mine was via Guest Rewards. I'd have to mail it back and hope it is not lost and I also know that Guest Rewards often has to cancel entire reservations to rebook anything. Even though Amtrak handled this, AGR might mess it up.
Posted by Printman2000 (Member # 4338) on :
I have two reservations. One was purchased (my son and me) and the other was AGR (my wife and other son). I do not have tickets for either, I will pick them up on the day of departure.
Amtrak did call me about both of them (even the AGR) to inform me of the new departure time from CUS.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
Thanks for the info. Have a great trip. If anyone else sees the LSL in coming weeks, please tell us how the consist is arranged.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
It appears that the Lake Shore's Boston cars are placed on the head of the New York cars both East and Westward. This makes the most operational sense as the only cut needed is that of #49's power. The entire WW 449 consist is simply backed down at the Maintenance Facility and added to the head of #49.
EW #48-448 is even more straight forward; 448 power and cars are cut from 48, then pulls South to the Depot for its station stop. #48's ALB-NYP power now is coupled to the head and it pulls South for its station stop.
No drilling of cars necessary; and existing labor agreements, even the considerably more restrictive ones from "back in my day', allow the two Road crews to handle that work (drilling cars is Yard crew's work)!
Only downside; if you are a 448/9 Sleeper passenger, hope you enjoy air horns.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Another downside: between Albany and Chicago, a Boston sleeper occupant must walk through the two Boston coaches and two or three New York coaches plus a lounge car to reach the dining car. In early morning, this involves dodging people standing in the aisles rearranging belongings or headed to the restroom, plus trying not to trip over feet sticking out from people still sleeping.
Westbound from Boston, it's almost worth riding coach to Albany (a daytime trip) and getting a New York sleeper - right next to the dining car!